Today marks the end of our annual Christmas sales season, and it has not been stellar.
Our stores
were severely impacted by last Friday's snowstorm, and Saturday's deep freeze. Sales on those two
key days ran less than 40% of normal. In addition, we have seen inconsistency in
our online
response. Sales have certainly not been bad, as the response to our annual 30% off HOLIDAY codeword
has actually been quite good. But, the typical online surge that we usually received prior to Christmas
has just not materialized this year, despite our having added over 70,000 additional
comics, magazines,
trade paperbacks, and hardbacks
into our listings since we moved our warehouse in late April.

In analyzing the causation of this trend, the one factor that seems unavoidable is the astounding growth
in online sales by Amazon. Here is a quote from today's Wall Street Journal:

"Amazon gained share online thus far. Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 17, Amazon grabbed around 41% of online
sales, up from 38% last year, according to data from Slice Intelligence, which collects data from email
receipts of 4.2 million shoppers. In comparison, Walmart.com took in 2.7% of sales, down from 3.2% last
year, though the vast majority of Wal-Martís sales occurred in stores."

I applaud Amazon for their incredible success in creating an online mechanism that is so easy to use that
consumers worldwide are flocking to do all of the shopping through their website, but I believe that here at
Mile High Comics
that we are also seeing the direct impact of 41% of ALL e-commerce from the entire Internet flowing though
just one company. Our speed of shipping of orders this year is the best that it has been in many, many years,
but we still cannot in any way match up with Amazon Prime's 3-hour delivery guarantee in many cities. Nor
can any other online sites (or Main Street retailers) effectively compete with what Amazon has created.
Regrettably, this is a conundrum that may have no solution.

STAR WARS (2015) #26

I am telling you about this trend because I absolutely love what I do for a living. Working daily to improve
our website inventory
so that we can offer you a wider and deeper spectrum of opportunities to shop for
comics
and
books
brings me great joy. After almost 47 years in the comics world, I simply cannot imagine not buying and
sorting comics each day. I am but one person, however, and no matter how much that I may value and treasure
Mile High Comics
as an institution, I realize that times change. If people simply forget about us, then we have no more
relevance in the future than the long-forgotten minor deities of Neil Gaiman's "Small Gods." Sad, but true.

DARK KNIGHT III #7

All of the above having been said, I sincerely thank you if you have continued to support us during 2016.
It is only because of your kindness (and orders) that
Mile High Comics
can continue to exist, and that I can work to help you, and also the homeless here in Denver. If you have
not placed an order with us this year, all I would ask is that you make some sort of conscious effort over
this next year to provide us with at least a little bit of support. We have over 120,000 comics fans who
receive this newsletter, so even a tiny response can make a big difference to our future prospects. In
addition, I would ask that you please try to support other smaller e-commerce websites, and also your
local retailers not only of comic books, but also everyone else on Main St. Our entire economy is going
through some major transitions right now, and it is beholden upon all of us to work at least a little to
support the shopping options that help to make our world brighter. Thank you!

My only other bit of news for today is a quick reminder that all ten million of our
back issue comics and magazines
are available to you right now at 30% off when you utilize our annual HOLIDAY! codeword. Only new issues a few
variants, and our CGC's are excluded from this huge HOLIDAY! sale. In addition, we have slashed our prices for
you on all 250,000+trade paperbacks and hardbacks
that we have in stock by 30%-40% off, with those discounts being listed for you right on
our website.
We also offer free shipping in the USA on net orders over $50, and to most international destinations
on net orders of $125, or more.

Happy collecting!

Chuck Rozanski,
President - Mile High Comics, Inc.
December 23, 2016

P.S. Below are even more scarce comics that Will and Pam have added into our
New-In-Stock links
for you this week. Almost all are available to you at 30% off list price when you utilize the HOLIDAY!
codeword. Thank you!